GENEVA (15 November 2018) – The Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, will visit Ecuador from 19 to 29 November.

"My visit takes place at a symbolic time for Ecuador, 10 years after the adoption of the Constitution which widely recognises the collective rights of indigenous peoples," said Tauli-Corpuz.

The Special Rapporteur will assess the implementation of the Constitution in light of Ecuador's international human rights commitments, particularly with respect to indigenous peoples' rights to self-determination and to lands, territories and natural resources. She will also assess the situation of indigenous peoples living in voluntary isolation and initial contact in the Amazon.

"I am particularly interested in learning about Ecuador's experience in building a truly plurinational and intercultural society, including through adequate consultation processes with indigenous peoples, intercultural health and bilingual education systems as well as harmonisation of the ordinary and traditional justice systems," Tauli-Corpuz said.

GENEVA (6 November 2018) – UN experts have strongly condemned the killing of Julián Carrillo, an indigenous rights defender from the state of Chihuahua, who had worked tirelessly for over two decades to defend his community against the exploitation of Rarámuri ancestral lands.

On 23 October 23 2018, Julián Carrillo told a friend by phone that he believed he was being watched and said he would go into the forest in an attempt to hide. On the evening of 25 October, his body was found. He had multiple bullet wounds.

"We urge the Mexican authorities to identify the perpetrators of this reprehensible crime and to bring them to justice in accordance with the law," the experts said.

The experts also urged the Government to address the underlying causes of such violence. "The killing of Julián Carrillo highlights the serious situation in the Sierra Tarahumara where the lack of recognition of indigenous land rights is a root cause of the recurring violence against and displacements of indigenous communities."

The Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders, the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples and the Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression have all visited the state of Chihuahua. In the course of the past year they have expressed grave concern over the lack of adequate protection measures for human rights defenders and indigenous communities at risk.

Interview with Victoria Tauli Corpuz, Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

Victoria Tauli Corpuz, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, laughs out loud as she recalls reading about about capacity-building programs on self-governance for indigenous peoples. "We've been governing ourselves long before nation states even existed!" In a conversation with Politically Speaking during a recent trip to New York, Ms. Tauli Corpuz talked about important role indigenous governance can play in achieving peaceful and inclusive societies by furthering cooperation and dialogue between indigenous peoples, the private sector and state actors.

Indigenous people have always had to struggle to be heard at the United Nations. It is never a given that we will have a voice in international institutions, and indeed we have often had to protest on the margins before being granted our rightful seat at the table.

The groundbreaking 2007 UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples was the product of decades of advocacy from indigenous peoples from around the world. It took years until the UN finally started to draft the declaration in 1982, and formal discussions only began in 1995. At that time, we were told that we were not allowed to speak in the negotiations. We could only observe. But we refused to legitimise yet another decision made about us without our participation or consent, so we walked out, and won the right to participate formally.

Presentation by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, of her Report on her mission to MexicoMexico City, Mexico (15 October 2018)

Introduction

Dear ladies and gentlemen present,

I would like to express my gratitude for this opportunity to speak today and present my report on my official visit to Mexico which I undertook on 8 to 17 November 2017.

I would like to give my respect to the indigenous peoples of this country whose rights were the subject of my visit and of this report, and whose societies, cultures and traditions have contributed greatly to the rich history, culture and diverse fabric of this nation.

My visit to Mexico had a two-fold purpose: to assess the implementation of the recommendations that my predecessor Special Rapporteur Rodolfo Stavenhagen made in 2003, and to evaluate how Mexico has implemented its international human rights commitments related to indigenous peoples.

International human rights perspectives on access to justice for indigenous peoples in Mexico.Presentation by Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoplesfor theForum on Access to Justice for Indigenous Persons and PeoplesFederal Judiciary Council (15 October 2018)

Introduction

Dear ladies and gentlemen present here today. I would like to thank the Federal Judiciary Council for inviting me to speak before this important seminar on the issue of access to justice for indigenous peoples.

I want to give my respect to the indigenous peoples of this country whose right to access to justice is the subject of discussion in this seminar.

As Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, I am tasked to look into the obstacles, challenges, barriers and good practices of States in protecting, respecting and fulfilling the rights of indigenous peoples. It was in the context of this mandate that I was invited by the Government of Mexico to undertake an official country mission from 8 to 17 November 2017. My mission had the two-fold purpose of assessing the implementation of the recommendations that my predecessor Special Rapporteur Rodolfo Stavenhagen made in 2003 and to evaluate how Mexico has implemented its international commitments on indigenous peoples' human rights.

GENEVA (22 October 2018) – A Guatemalan court's ruling that indigenous Ixil Mayans were victims of genocide and crimes against humanity sets a historic precedent for transitional justice in Guatemala, the region and the world, UN experts said today.

"The court's decision confirms that the suffering and humiliation suffered by the Ixil peoples at the hands of the Guatemalan army constituted crimes of genocide and crimes against humanity," the experts said. "We celebrate the significant progress made in the search for truth, the fight against impunity and the recovery of historical memory of the events that occurred during the internal armed conflict (1960-1996) estimated to have claimed over 200'000 lives," they said.

Last month's judgment in the trial over the deaths of 1,771 people, most of them members of the Ixil community, between 1982 and 1983 established that the Guatemalan army used the most brutal techniques of violence against the civilian population, including killings, torture and cruel and inhuman treatment, sexual violence and forced displacement, causing the partial physical destruction of the Ixil population.

Ms. Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples

Presentation to the Third Committee of the General Assembly at its 73rd Session Item 71 (a & b): Rights of indigenous peoples

New York, 12th of October 2018

Honourable Chair of the Third Committee, Mr. Mahmoud Saikal Distinguished Representatives of Member States,Indigenous representatives and authorities in the room and across the world, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

It is a pleasure for me to address the General Assembly today for the fifth time since I took up the mandate as Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples in 2014. Over the last half decade, I have been reporting here and at the Human Rights Council on a range of troubling issues for indigenous peoples. I have tried to shed light on the structural reasons behind the human rights violations and marginalisation that indigenous peoples continue to face almost in every country. I have explored topics such as the impact of international investment and free trade agreements on indigenous peoples' rights; the impact of conservation and climate change adaption and mitigation projects; and the increasing attacks, criminalisation and even murder of indigenous peoples, amongst other issues.

Today, I want to discuss what I see as one of the possible solutions to address the challenges that indigenous peoples face across the world: namely the importance of protecting and promoting the role of indigenous peoples' own institutions and ways of governing themselves. At the core of this are the rights to self-determination, self- governance and autonomy.

United NationsGeneral AssemblySeventy-third sessionItem 71 (a) of the preliminary listRights of indigenous peoples

A/73/17617 July 2018

Report of the Special Rapporteur of the Human Rights Council on the rights of indigenous peoples

Summary

The present report is submitted to the General Assembly by the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples pursuant to her mandate under Human Rights Council resolution 33/12. In the report, the Special Rapporteur provides a summary of her activities since her previous report to the Assembly and an introductory comment on the issue of indigenous peoples and self-governance.

In the section on activities, the Special Rapporteur highlights recent thematic work on topics relating to criminalization; consultation and free, prior and informed consent; indigenous peoples in isolation and initial contact; country visits; communications; and other activities. In the section on indigenous peoples and self-governance, she reviews examples of indigenous governance systems documented by the mandate holder and highlights some of the positive outcomes achieved in terms of sustainable development.

________________________

Contents

I. Introduction

II. Activities of the Special Rapporteur in 2017 and 2018

A. Attacks against and criminalization of indigenous peoplesB. Consultation and free, prior and informed consentC. Indigenous peoples in isolation and initial contact D. Country visits to Mexico and GuatemalaE. Communications and cooperation with human rights mechanisms, relevant United Nations bodies and regional human rights organizations

III. Indigenous peoples and self-governance

A. Background B. The international legal framework relating to indigenous peoples and self-governanceC. Self-governance and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable DevelopmentD. Examples of indigenous governance systems and their contributions to sustainable development at the national level E. Key areas for future discussions

This report examines the situation of indigenous peoples in Mexico. It is based on information received by the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples during her visit to the country from 8 to 17 November 2017 and on independent research.

The Special Rapporteur notes that, since the official visit made in 2003 by the former Special Rapporteur, Rodolfo Stavenhagen, and despite the commitments subsequently made by Mexico in the field of human rights, indigenous peoples continue to face serious challenges in the exercise of their human rights.

Current development policies, which are based on mega-projects (in mining, energy, tourism, real estate and agriculture, among other areas), pose a major challenge to indigenous peoples' enjoyment of human rights. Lack of self-determination and prior, free, informed and culturally appropriate consultation are compounded by land conflicts, forced displacement, and the criminalization of and violence against indigenous peoples who defend their rights.

All these problems are taking place against a backdrop of profound inequality, poverty and discrimination of indigenous peoples that restricts their access to justice, education, health and other basic services.

The International Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions (IACAPAP)

IACAPAP DECLARATION ON THE RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS CHILDREN, ADOLESCENTS AND FAMILIES TO MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING

July 2018

IACAPAP declares recognition of certain fundamental mental health rights of children, adolescents and families of indigenous communities everywhere, in concert with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1990) and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2007).

Indigenous communities are identified as those within nation states that can regard themselves and be regarded by others as indigenous on account of their descent from the people who inhabited a particular territory (land and waters) at the time of conquest or colonisation of that territory, and who, regardless of their legal status, retain some or all of their own social, economic and cultural traditions. This statement follows United Nations policy, set out by the Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention of the International Labour Organisation (1989) and by the website of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (2018).

It is an honour for me to address the Human Rights Council today and present my reports. I would like to start by expressing my gratitude to the numerous States, indigenous peoples, and others, and in particular to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, for the support they have provided as I have carried out my mandate over the past year.

I have, in the exercise of my mandate, observed a worrying escalation in the attacks, criminalisation and threats against indigenous peoples who are defending their rights to protect their lands, territories and resources. For this reason, I have decided to dedicate my thematic report to the Council to this topic.

Human Rights CouncilThirty-ninth session10-28 September 2018 Agenda item 3Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development.

The Secretariat has the honour to present to the Human Rights Council the report of the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, prepared pursuant to Council resolution 33/12. In the report the Special Rapporteur briefly refers to the activities undertaken since the submission of her last report, provides a thematic study on attacks against and the criminalization of indigenous human rights defenders and reflects on available prevention and protection measures. She concludes with recommendations on how various stakeholders can prevent violations and improve protection.

The report considers the situation of the indigenous peoples of Guatemala on the basis of information received by the Special Rapporteur during her visit to the country between 1 and 10 May 2018.

The Special Rapporteur notes that the situation of the Maya, Xinka and Garifuna peoples is characterized by serious structural problems, particularly the lack of protection for their rights to their lands, territories and resources and the racial discrimination that pervades all areas of life. She expresses her deep concern at the resurgence of violence, forced evictions and the criminalization of indigenous peoples that defend their rights.

Impunity, corruption, institutional weakness, the failure to implement the Peace Agreements and extreme economic and social inequality are the main obstacles. It is imperative that the Government of Guatemala identify the structural problems as a matter of urgency and work towards their resolution.

GENEVA (13 September 2018) – UN human rights experts* welcome the adoption of the landmark Escazú agreement and are now urging States in Latin America and the Caribbean to sign and ratify as quickly as possible a ground-breaking environment treaty for the region.

The treaty is the first of its kind in the world to include specific binding provisions for the protection and promotion of people, groups and organisations that promote and defend human rights in environmental matters. It was negotiated under the auspices of the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (UN ECLAC) and is the only binding treaty stemming from the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20).

“This landmark regional treaty not only guarantees good governance and basic democratic rights but is also an enabler for environmental protection and sustainable development,” the 27 UN experts said in a joint statement.

“There is a special emphasis on people and groups in vulnerable situations and measures to try to help those most in need. We welcome the focus in this treaty on overcoming the barriers and difficulties that hinder the full enjoyment of human rights related to the environment, which is especially crucial in Latin America and the Caribbean,” they added. They also praised the treaty’s explicit recognition of the rights of indigenous peoples, as well as the acknowledgement of the cultural diversity of Latin America and the Caribbean and of their peoples.

The Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples is collecting information in preparation of her country visit to Ecuador scheduled to take place from 19 to 29 November 2018.

In accordance with the established practice of mandate-holders, the Special Rapporteur welcomes all relevant submissions that indigenous organisations and other stakeholders may wish to transmit for her consideration in preparation of this visit, such as:

A global crisis is unfolding. The rapid expansion of development projects on indigenous lands without their consent is driving a drastic increase in violence and legal harassment against Indigenous Peoples.

I've been alerted to hundreds of cases of "criminalization" from nearly every corner of the world. These attacks—whether physical or legal—are an attempt to silence Indigenous Peoples voicing their opposition to projects that threaten their livelihoods and cultures.

My new report finds a pattern of abuse, with the private sector often colluding with governments to force Indigenous Peoples from their lands by whatever means necessary to make way for infrastructure, agriculture, mining, and extractive projects.

GENEVA (20 August 2018) – UN human rights experts* have welcomed a ruling in the Philippines declaring that the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, is a non-party to the government's recent petition which seeks to declare the New People's Army and the Communist Party of the Philippines as "terrorist organisations".

"While we welcome this decision, we are still deeply concerned about the continued naming of many others, including human rights defenders, in the petition, as this tags them as terrorists," said the UN experts.

The decision was issued by the Regional Trial Court of Manila on 27 July in relation to a petition filed in February 2018 by the Department of Justice. In the petition, Ms Tauli-Corpuz was named on a list, with more than 600 others, de facto accusing them as terrorists and alleged members of the New People's Army and the Communist Party of the Philippines.

GENEVA (IDN-INPS) – International standards have come a long way in recognizing the rights of indigenous peoples to their traditional knowledge, traditional cultural expressions and, indeed, even genetic resources. The adoption of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in 1992 finally did away with the concept of biological and genetic resources as the common heritage of mankind, recognizing that States have sovereignty over biological and genetic resources that are owned, found and accessed from within their territories.

The CBD also conclusively recognizes the authority of indigenous peoples over their traditional knowledge. Specifically, Article 8(j) of the CBD directs Parties to enact national legislation to preserve, protect, maintain, and promote the wider application of indigenous peoples' traditional knowledge relevant to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, provided that such use takes place with the approval and involvement of the holders of such knowledge. Article 8(j) also encourages equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of such knowledge, innovations and practices.

GENEVA (9 August 2018) - UN human rights experts* have raised alarm over the increase in killings, attacks and other acts of intimidation against human rights defenders in Guatemala, amid restrictive legislative and political attempts to curtail their work.

Between 9 May and 27 July 2018, 11 defenders** who were working to protect various indigenous communities' rights in the context of safe and healthy environment, including access to land and to basic services, were killed. These defenders, the majority indigenous, sought to protect their communities from development and business-related human rights abuses***. The attacks were of an unusually violent nature- four suffered fatal cuts by bladed weapons, including cuts to their ears and throat.

"We are concerned that the frequency and severity of these attacks could have ripple effects throughout the population, sending a message that there are dangerous consequences for defending human rights, especially given that these crimes often go unpunished", the UN experts said.